In 1977, the ATS team made the "big leap" into Formula 1 by acquiring the assets left by Penske and fielding the PC4 cars in its own livery. However, in 1978, the German team became a full-fledged constructor. Owner and founder Günter Schmid took over the March factory and staff after the latter announced its withdrawal from F1. For the design of the first ATS car, Schmid relied on Robin Herd, a former March designer, who developed the ATS HS1, named after the initials of Herd and Schmid.
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| ATS HS1, Jochen Mass Buenos Aires, argentinian GP 1978 |
Herd took inspiration from the 1977 Penske PC4, but the HS1 was already outdated before its debut, as it was not designed according to the ground-effect principles introduced by Lotus. The car had an unrefined design: the nose was wide and featured a large, boxy air intake, while the cockpit sat disproportionately high above the bodywork, resembling a submarine turret. The mechanics were directly derived from the PC4, with a wheelbase of 2718 mm and a weight close to 600 kg, making it difficult to drive and slower than its rivals. Beyond technical limitations, the team had to deal with Schmid’s volatile personality, as he did not hesitate to blame the drivers for the poor results. Over the course of the season, ATS rotated through no fewer than seven drivers: Jochen Mass and Michael Bleekemolen alternated in car number 9, while Jean-Pierre Jarier, Alberto Colombo, Keke Rosberg, Hans Binder, and Harald Ertl took turns in car number 10. This constant driver turnover disrupted the team’s work and led Robin Herd to abandon the project mid-season due to conflicts with Schmid.
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| ATS HS1, Jochen Mass Interlagos, Brazilian GP 1978 |
Replacing Herd was British engineer John Gentry, who was tasked with developing two projects: an improved version of the HS1 and a new car for the future. The HS1B, the result of the first project, featured several aesthetic modifications: the front radiator was removed, the front suspension linkages were faired, the curved side pods housed stacked water and oil radiators, and the cockpit adopted a sleeker, more elegant shape. However, Gentry made no changes to the mechanical components, and the results remained disappointing. The best finish of the season was Jochen Mass’s seventh place in Brazil, achieved with the original HS1 version.
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| ATS HS1B, Jean-Pierre Jarier Montecarlo, Monaco GP 1978 |
Meanwhile, Gentry developed the new ATS car, designed with more modern aerodynamics based on ground-effect principles. Ready by August 1978, the car was designated "D1" in tribute to Germany ("D" for Deutschland), emphasizing ATS’s status as the only German team in Formula 1. To assist Gentry, young Austrian designer Gustav Brunner was hired, who would go on to have a brilliant career in F1. Despite the D1’s similarities to the Lotus 79, certain details limited its effectiveness: the placement of radiators, exhausts, and oil tanks disrupted the aerodynamic flow, reducing ground effect. The car had an aggressive design, with a narrow, squared-off nose, triangular fairings for the front suspension, and high side pods to house the radiators and maximize the length of the Venturi channels. However, the rigid side skirts did not seal the side pods properly, further compromising the aerodynamics.
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| ATS D1, Keke Rosberg Watkins Glen, USA East GP 1978 |
The D1 debuted in the final two North American races of 1978 with Keke Rosberg but failed to achieve any significant results. Recognizing the car’s ineffectiveness, the team decided to shelve it and focus its efforts on the 1979 car, hoping to close the gap to the top teams.
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